2025 National Time Trial Championships: report and results
Zoe Bäckstedt and Ethan Hayter won elite honours while Millie Couzens and Callum Thornley took U23 crowns at the National Time Trial Championships (26 June)
Zoe Bäckstedt is the new British elite women’s time trial champion, claiming her first national title with a dominant ride on home Welsh roads. The 20-year-old Canyon//SRAM rider stormed around the 31km Ceredigion course in 38:48.84 to win by 19 seconds. In the men’s elite time trial, Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step) reclaimed the British title with a blistering ride over the tough 41km circuit in Ceredigion, clocking 54:08.98 to take gold by more than 28 seconds.
In the under-23 men’s event, Callum Thornley (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe Rookies) overturned a 28-second deficit to take gold ahead of Ben Wiggins and Elliot Rowe, who completed the podium. Meanwhile Millie Couzens (Fenix–Deceuninck) delivered a standout performance to claim the under-23 women’s national time trial title, setting a time of 40:54.32 that proved untouchable by her rivals.
Featured image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Reports
U23 Men
The U23 men’s time trial began the National Road Championships. Set on a testing 31km route that twisted through the coastal hills near Aberaeron and featured the steep climb of Rhiw Goch, the event provided a stern mid-season test. With 34 riders tackling the course, the early benchmark was laid down by Alex Pickering (Ride Revolution Coaching), who stopped the clock in 37:57.41. His time remained unbeaten until a flurry of fast finishers came through in the latter half of the field.
Elliot Rowe (Team Visma-Lease a Bike Development) was the first to properly raise the bar, going under 16 minutes at the intermediate checkpoint – the first to do so – and eventually finishing in 35:55.96. He looked a strong contender for gold until Callum Thornley (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe Rookies) delivered a measured but blistering back half. After trailing at the split, Thornley found his rhythm in the hills and crossed the line in 35:26.98, 28 seconds faster than Rowe.
Ben Wiggins (Hagens Berman Jayco), winner of this event as a junior and tipped as one of the pre-race favourites, set the fastest intermediate time (15:47.67) but faded slightly over the second half. His final time of 35:48.93 was enough for second, but not quite enough to dethrone Thornley. Behind the podium trio, last year’s champion Tomos Pattinson (Team Visma-Lease a Bike Development) had to settle for fifth in 36:17.20.
Set against the challenging backdrop of the Cambrian coast, the race saw early benchmark times set by Lauren Dickson (Handsling Alba Development Road Team), who stopped the clock at 42:18.61 after being the first rider to break 19 minutes at the intermediate timing point. She remained in the hot seat for much of the event, with only a handful able to challenge her time until the latter stages.
Jessica Roberts (Spectra Racing) and fellow Alba rider Kate Richardson threatened Dickson’s lead early on, but couldn’t dislodge her. It wasn’t until the arrival of WorldTour riders that the race truly came alive.
Pfeiffer Georgi (Team dsm–firmenich PostNL) was among the first to seriously shake up the standings. She posted a 17:41.80 split at the intermediate checkpoint and crossed the line in 40:15.84, narrowly nudging Anna Morris (Private Member) – who had briefly led with 40:17.42 – out of the hot seat.
Zoe Backstedt (CANYON // SRAM Racing Team) Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Then came Zoe Bäckstedt (CANYON//SRAM zondacryto). Tearing through the split in a searing 16:43.5 – nearly 30 seconds quicker than anyone else – she laid down a time few believed could be matched. When she reached the finish in 38:48.84, it was nearly a minute and a half faster than Georgi and looked untouchable.
Only Anna Henderson (Lidl–Trek), the defending champion and last rider to start, posed a potential threat. She crossed the intermediate checkpoint with the second-fastest time of 17:14.03 and mounted a determined chase in the second half. But despite clawing back time, Henderson could only finish in 39:08.17 – 19 seconds short.
It marked a popular home victory for Bäckstedt, who hails from Pontyclun. Her commanding display on Welsh soil not only unseated the reigning champion but underlined her growing status in the elite ranks. Georgi completed the podium in third, with Morris fourth and Josie Nelson fifth.
Millie Couzens (Fenix–Deceuninck) set her stall out early, tearing through the intermediate checkpoint in 17:40.93, the fastest of the day and quicker than all but three elite riders. That benchmark would prove decisive. Couzens maintained her momentum across the second sector to secure the national title by a margin of just over 50 seconds.
Robyn Clay (DAS-Hutchinson), who came into the race fresh off a win at the Alexandra Tour of the Reservoir, looked poised to challenge after clocking 18:01.67 at the halfway mark. Her final time of 41:45.17 was good enough for silver and briefly had her in the hot seat – but she couldn’t match Couzens’ pace over the back half of the course.
Millie Couzens (Fenix-Deceuninck). Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Imogen Wolff (Team Visma–Lease a Bike) produced a steady, well-paced ride to take fourth in 42:11.04, but was edged out in a close battle for the final podium spot by Handsling Alba Development’s Madelaine Leech, who impressed late on with 42:02.91 to secure fourth. Movistar’s Cat Ferguson, widely tipped as the pre-race favourite, set a solid 18:12.64 at the split but faded slightly on the run-in, finishing fifth with 42:13.84.
Early pace-setter Noémie Thomson (Brother UK–On Form) set an initial benchmark of 42:42.02, holding the hot seat for much of the first half of the race, but eventually slipped to seventh.
The men’s course – based around the market town of Aberaeron – was a real test of pacing and power. Taking in an additional lap of the lumpy loop, each rider face 677m of climbing in total, including two ascents of the sought Rhiw Goch ramp.
Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step), the 2021 and 2022 champion, was smooth and unflinching throughout. He stormed through the first lap in 15:20.46 and never looked under threat, gaining time in every sector. His final time – 54:08.98 with average of 45.67 km/h – wasn’t just the fastest of the day – it was a commanding return to form, and follows his recent individual time trial victory at the Baloise Belgium Tour.
Samuel Watson (Ineos Grenadiers) claimed silver with 54:37.31, having briefly sat in the hot seat before Hayter’s late demolition. His Ineos teammate Connor Swift had opened fast and was second after lap one, but faded slightly to finish sixth.
Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step). Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Cofidis’ Oliver Knight took bronze with a strong and consistent ride, stopping the clock at 54:55.13 to hold off Israel–Premier Tech’s Ethan Vernon by just over a second. Max Walker (EF Education–EasyPost) rounded out the top five with 55:09.25, one of the most evenly paced rides across all three laps.
Behind them, Matthew Brennan (Team Visma–Lease a Bike) impressed again with a seventh-place finish, while Joshua Giddings (Lotto) and early pace-setter Matt Rossiter (George Fox Cycling Solutions) completed the top 10. Rossiter had led after lap one but faded to ninth with 57:51.60.
The absence of defending champion Joshua Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers), a late DNS, opened the door for a new name on the top step – but Hayter didn’t just step through. He slammed it shut with a ride of controlled ferocity on one of the most demanding national time trial championship courses in recent years.
Zoe Bäckstedt is the new British elite women’s time trial champion, claiming her first national title with a dominant ride on home Welsh roads. The 20-year-old Canyon//SRAM rider stormed around the 31km Ceredigion course in 38:48.84 to win by 19 seconds. In the men’s elite time trial, Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step) reclaimed the British title with a blistering ride over the tough 41km circuit in Ceredigion, clocking 54:08.98 to take gold by more than 28 seconds.
In the under-23 men’s event, Callum Thornley (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe Rookies) overturned a 28-second deficit to take gold ahead of Ben Wiggins and Elliot Rowe, who completed the podium. Meanwhile Millie Couzens (Fenix–Deceuninck) delivered a standout performance to claim the under-23 women’s national time trial title, setting a time of 40:54.32 that proved untouchable by her rivals.
Featured image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Reports
U23 Men
The U23 men’s time trial began the National Road Championships. Set on a testing 31km route that twisted through the coastal hills near Aberaeron and featured the steep climb of Rhiw Goch, the event provided a stern mid-season test. With 34 riders tackling the course, the early benchmark was laid down by Alex Pickering (Ride Revolution Coaching), who stopped the clock in 37:57.41. His time remained unbeaten until a flurry of fast finishers came through in the latter half of the field.
Elliot Rowe (Team Visma-Lease a Bike Development) was the first to properly raise the bar, going under 16 minutes at the intermediate checkpoint – the first to do so – and eventually finishing in 35:55.96. He looked a strong contender for gold until Callum Thornley (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe Rookies) delivered a measured but blistering back half. After trailing at the split, Thornley found his rhythm in the hills and crossed the line in 35:26.98, 28 seconds faster than Rowe.
Ben Wiggins (Hagens Berman Jayco), winner of this event as a junior and tipped as one of the pre-race favourites, set the fastest intermediate time (15:47.67) but faded slightly over the second half. His final time of 35:48.93 was enough for second, but not quite enough to dethrone Thornley. Behind the podium trio, last year’s champion Tomos Pattinson (Team Visma-Lease a Bike Development) had to settle for fifth in 36:17.20.
Elite women
Set against the challenging backdrop of the Cambrian coast, the race saw early benchmark times set by Lauren Dickson (Handsling Alba Development Road Team), who stopped the clock at 42:18.61 after being the first rider to break 19 minutes at the intermediate timing point. She remained in the hot seat for much of the event, with only a handful able to challenge her time until the latter stages.
Jessica Roberts (Spectra Racing) and fellow Alba rider Kate Richardson threatened Dickson’s lead early on, but couldn’t dislodge her. It wasn’t until the arrival of WorldTour riders that the race truly came alive.
Pfeiffer Georgi (Team dsm–firmenich PostNL) was among the first to seriously shake up the standings. She posted a 17:41.80 split at the intermediate checkpoint and crossed the line in 40:15.84, narrowly nudging Anna Morris (Private Member) – who had briefly led with 40:17.42 – out of the hot seat.
Then came Zoe Bäckstedt (CANYON//SRAM zondacryto). Tearing through the split in a searing 16:43.5 – nearly 30 seconds quicker than anyone else – she laid down a time few believed could be matched. When she reached the finish in 38:48.84, it was nearly a minute and a half faster than Georgi and looked untouchable.
Only Anna Henderson (Lidl–Trek), the defending champion and last rider to start, posed a potential threat. She crossed the intermediate checkpoint with the second-fastest time of 17:14.03 and mounted a determined chase in the second half. But despite clawing back time, Henderson could only finish in 39:08.17 – 19 seconds short.
It marked a popular home victory for Bäckstedt, who hails from Pontyclun. Her commanding display on Welsh soil not only unseated the reigning champion but underlined her growing status in the elite ranks. Georgi completed the podium in third, with Morris fourth and Josie Nelson fifth.
U23 women
Millie Couzens (Fenix–Deceuninck) set her stall out early, tearing through the intermediate checkpoint in 17:40.93, the fastest of the day and quicker than all but three elite riders. That benchmark would prove decisive. Couzens maintained her momentum across the second sector to secure the national title by a margin of just over 50 seconds.
Robyn Clay (DAS-Hutchinson), who came into the race fresh off a win at the Alexandra Tour of the Reservoir, looked poised to challenge after clocking 18:01.67 at the halfway mark. Her final time of 41:45.17 was good enough for silver and briefly had her in the hot seat – but she couldn’t match Couzens’ pace over the back half of the course.
Imogen Wolff (Team Visma–Lease a Bike) produced a steady, well-paced ride to take fourth in 42:11.04, but was edged out in a close battle for the final podium spot by Handsling Alba Development’s Madelaine Leech, who impressed late on with 42:02.91 to secure fourth. Movistar’s Cat Ferguson, widely tipped as the pre-race favourite, set a solid 18:12.64 at the split but faded slightly on the run-in, finishing fifth with 42:13.84.
Early pace-setter Noémie Thomson (Brother UK–On Form) set an initial benchmark of 42:42.02, holding the hot seat for much of the first half of the race, but eventually slipped to seventh.
Elite men
The men’s course – based around the market town of Aberaeron – was a real test of pacing and power. Taking in an additional lap of the lumpy loop, each rider face 677m of climbing in total, including two ascents of the sought Rhiw Goch ramp.
Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step), the 2021 and 2022 champion, was smooth and unflinching throughout. He stormed through the first lap in 15:20.46 and never looked under threat, gaining time in every sector. His final time – 54:08.98 with average of 45.67 km/h – wasn’t just the fastest of the day – it was a commanding return to form, and follows his recent individual time trial victory at the Baloise Belgium Tour.
Samuel Watson (Ineos Grenadiers) claimed silver with 54:37.31, having briefly sat in the hot seat before Hayter’s late demolition. His Ineos teammate Connor Swift had opened fast and was second after lap one, but faded slightly to finish sixth.
Cofidis’ Oliver Knight took bronze with a strong and consistent ride, stopping the clock at 54:55.13 to hold off Israel–Premier Tech’s Ethan Vernon by just over a second. Max Walker (EF Education–EasyPost) rounded out the top five with 55:09.25, one of the most evenly paced rides across all three laps.
Behind them, Matthew Brennan (Team Visma–Lease a Bike) impressed again with a seventh-place finish, while Joshua Giddings (Lotto) and early pace-setter Matt Rossiter (George Fox Cycling Solutions) completed the top 10. Rossiter had led after lap one but faded to ninth with 57:51.60.
The absence of defending champion Joshua Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers), a late DNS, opened the door for a new name on the top step – but Hayter didn’t just step through. He slammed it shut with a ride of controlled ferocity on one of the most demanding national time trial championship courses in recent years.
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